3DS XL prices appear... but what's this? The trade price? Now we're never going to settle for 180

Sorry, HMV. RRP just ain't gonna cut it for this one

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Pre-order prices for the newly-revealed 3DS XL have started appearing around the internet. We're guessing the RRP is £179.99 because that's what HMV's listing it for (wahey!) but prices are going as low as £167.97 from GameStop.

However, trade publication MCV is claiming to know the trade price - that is the cost shops will expect to pay when buying in the console ready to sell on their shelves. And that's quoted as £167.50 (that's after VAT). So GameStop would be making a MASSIVE profit of 47p per sale. Hardly seems worth the effort, does it?

Above: Looks the same apart from the Home buttons? It's actually the size of a cinema screen. It even comes with curtains and a guy who keeps getting up to go to the bathroom

You may remember that GamesRadar was the first to break the news that the original 3DS' trade price was £173, back before Nintendo realised the £230 RRP was too steep. That said (sheepishly), having the trade price come out into the public domain is never a good thing because people will expect to pay that price and nothing more. But that's not how business works and will put yet more of a squeeze on the already-troubled high street retailers.

The machine hits UK and Japanese shops on July 28, with the US launch following on August 19. US shops have a suggested retail price of $199.99 according to CVG.

Will you get one? Still waiting to see if the resolution and 3D actually look good on that huge display? Let us know in the comments.